Are you a Gardener?

 2012 is starting out already to be an amazing year. God has set us upon a new and exciting journey that I never would've even imagined a year ago. The Lord has also begun to bring deeper revelation to me that I am just enthralled about. Over the past few days I have spent quite some time just sitting before God and allowing Him to just speak to me. And during that time He has taught me about Gardening. Yes, gardening, but more on a spiritual level, than natural.
 It started with the Lord asking me about a Garden, you know, what's it for? How do you start it? How do you cultivate it? So on and so on. Then He just unloaded on me. First He showed me, man was created in the Garden. It was in that garden, the Lord created man from the ground and breathed His life giving breathe into him. He showed me that is how God created us, to be in that secret garden with Him, in a place of communion and intimacy with Him. Of course we know how the story goes, man is eventually removed from the garden and separated from Him. But, it is still entrenched in us a desire, deep desire in our spirit to return to that place.
 The next thing He revealed to me was that, the first thing we must do is, find the garden. I immediately asked, how do I find it? He then showed me when we find Jesus, we find the garden. You see, when we except Jesus in our hearts, we find that place of communion with God. Christ is our advocate with the Father. It is through Christ we can enter in to His presence. We enter the garden with Christ.
 The Lord then showed me how the garden works. He showed me at times we are in a season of  plowing,  preparing the land and planting seeds. These are times of prayer and intercession and worship. Then there are times we go into the garden to get the things we need. When we go before the Lord and just soak in His presence and listen, these are times of spiritual growth. This is when the Lord does His part and sends the rain and sun to help the "crop" grow.
 Finally He showed me the harvesting time. There are times, after we have cultivated the ground, planted the seeds, worked the garden, and allowed the Lord to do what He needs to do, then it's time time harvest, to reap what you have sown.
 Jesus, as we read in Luke 22:39, frequented the garden of Gethsemane. It was here, in this garden, we see a real glimpse of the fervent prayer life of Jesus. It was in this garden we see the King of Kings in his most desperate time while in the flesh. So for me the garden is a significant place to say the least.
 So what's my point? I just want to share, that after some time of planting, cultivating and waiting on the Lord to send the rain and the things that we can't do, my family and I are approaching the harvest. Although until now this revelation was not known to me, the things we have been planting and asking God to provide and grow are now blooming and will soon be ready for us to harvest, as long as we continue to come into the garden and cultivate the land and tend to the things the Lord wants us to. So Lord I just ask that you give me and my family, and any who read this a "green thumb". I ask that we all seek after that intimacy with you. That we desire to be in that secret place with you Lord. In Jesus name Amen!
Love In Christ
JT

Bring it on Lord.....

 Let me start by saying how greatful I am to be apart of the body of Christ. I am greatful that I could possibly be around to witness one of the greatest awakenings and revivals ever. Do I honestly believe it's going to happen? In a word, absolutely! There are just to many things that are pointing towards that very fact. However, I alos believe some things have to happen within the body, within the church, before the next great awakening. Notice I said awakening, not revival. It is my opinion that there must be a massive awakening in the church, and it needs to happen soon. We are at a pivotal moment, a point were we the church have a grand opportunnity to change history. At least to the extent that God will allow. We allknow the great apostacy, the great falling away will come. We can not stop it, it is written in the living word of God, and it will be so. But we have the opportunity to expose as many people and perhaps an entire rising generation to the truth. We have the chance to show them who God really is, and powerful His word, His spirit and Love can be. But the church has got to wake up. I was listening to a song by Jake Hamilton, and there is a chorus line that says " I can hear them singing in the church now, I can hear them singing in the streets now, everybody is being set free coming out of the dark and into the light now...". And the Lord showed me that is how not only it WILL happen, but how it MUST happen. You see, it has to start with the church, whenwe begin to exalt God and begin to walk as one body and in what God has called His church to do, then the world will begin to follow. I was reading Isaiah, and in chapter 43, verse 14  is  about babylon to be destroyed, but in verse 21 the Lord says "The people whom I formed for myself, will declare My praise.". So if we are a people created in His image and likeness, and we are created for His glory and purpose that He has planeed, then I think it's safe to say we are a peple formed for Him. Therefore, in this time, in this economy, in all the things happening we will declare His praise. At least that is the call. That is going to be the onset of an awakening, of revival, when we as a church, as one united body, declare the glory of God, when declare His truth, when we declare His word, then the change will come.

God is?????

 So, I've been reading A.W. Tozer's "Knowledge of the Holy", and it is really changing my perspective on some things that have really been tugging at my heart. But mostly, I am beginning to not only find new reverence in God, but also desiring to know more of His character and who He is. Now, as far as ever knowing exactly who He is, that is not going to happen in this life, or possibly ever for that matter. Though we are made in His image and likeness, or should I say Adam was made in His image and likeness, we are now a "fallen" image, or perhaps a distorted copy of a copy at best. So, through prayer and some revelation I have come to realize that the more I seek Him, the more I find Him, His presence that is. But, it is in His presence I have come to realize, that He will reveal His attributes to us.
 I had intended to ask God to begin to define clearly his attributes to me, at least those that he desires me to know. But before I could even get the question out He revealed a simple and small truth me that I have read several times and yet have not grasped the concept fully myself. But in Proverbs 1:7 says "The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge...". I read that again this morning and it all clicked! Instantly my prayer changed, and I began to ask God for something entirely new. You see, until today one of my prayers has been for a new fire and passion in the church, and for the church to rise up in this time and begin to shine a light. I have been asking God for a movement for Him like non other that has been seen before, that this generation, that this nation would again put God at the head and in the forefront of everything. But you see, there is something missing in the church right now. God has become a convenience, the church is no longer mesmerized by Him, we the church have lost our awe, and our reverence of God. We have reduced God to what we want Him to be instead of pursuing Him for who He really is. So, Lord bring back that awe, that reverence. Let the church begin to know you for who you really are. Bring back the fear of the Lord! Bring it back so that we might have knowledge and wisdom that comes from you Lord! Amen!!! You see, if want to see God for who He is, if we want to see a movement, we need wisdom! We need wisdom that comes from God, so we are able to handle the things that will come with the movement. We will have new Christians looking for answers, and just as in the days of Noah, there will be scoffers and people to ridicule those who live for Christ! We will need that wisdom, but first we must have a fear of the Lord, we must be in awe of Him, we must love Him and pursue fervently our relationship with Him! Amen! Be blessed, and may the Lord keep you, and may abide in His presence all of your days!!

Witnessing Fulfillment

 Some time ago, I realized I had a certain way with words. I realized that formulating an idea, and then putting it in words, in writing was not a difficult thing for me. And in my closet, I have some journals that are simply full of mindless ramblings with seemingly no purpose other than to drive someone into depression and sadness. It wasn't long after I realized my way with words, that the Lord almost instantly blocked my access to that untapped talent. The Lord Himself knew that at the time the words I'd use would not glorify Him, nor would it encourage others. So, anytime I  attempted to write, or thought I might be inspired, my access would be denied and nothing ever written.
 Now, and for quite some time now, I have had the urge to just let my mind go. The wonderful and amazing woman that I have the distinct pleasure and honor to call my wife had started to blog a few months back, and that only fueled my urge to write as well as stir up inspiration. But until this past weekend, though inspired, I just didn't feel as though I had been released by the Lord, and I just couldn't find the topic. Then, this past weekend came, the weekend of October 8th, 2011.
 You see, on that day I was able to witness something truly amazing, something that I'm not sure many people get to see. I witnessed fulfillment of dreams. I watched two amazing people unite themselves in marriage, in a scene that was probably the most prophetic scene that I have seen in a long, long time. I watched as the Groom stood there waiting patiently for his bride to come to him. And as I looked, I truly saw in him the representation of both the Father and the Son. I saw a man who has been in this world, tried by this world, yet redeemed and abiding in the Father's love. And the bride, and any who know Margie, truly embodied the role of the bride, yet unselfishly demonstrated the love of Christ when in the moment that was supposed be all her, the moment that every girl dreams of walking down the aisle, she stops to give the grooms daughter a big hug and kiss. So you see, it is only fitting that I draw my inspiration from this. We are taught the fruits of the spirit, and we are quick to name the ones we like; love, joy, peace, kindness, goodness, faithfullness; but we always seem to look over patience or how about long-suffering. Long-suffering, that's the one that gets us. But it's one that Mark and Margie Howell know all to well. As their lives are testimony to that. Long-suffering is the fruit that goes with perseverence. I honestly believe that had the Lord come on Saturday, those two would have heard "Well done good and faithful son and daughter". And with that I say to them Congratulations! May the Lord Bless you and keep you! May He lift the light of Countenance upon you!